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Okanagan making dreams come true

It isn’t often people have a chance to help make a child’s dream come true. So when the opportunity arises, we should make every effort to ensure the chance doesn’t slip away.

South Okanagan residents now have just such a chance. The 19th annual Wendy’s Dreamlift Day runs Wednesday at all nine Wendy’s Restaurants in the Thompson-Okanagan. Staff and management donate their wages for the day, with local dignitaries also on hand at the restaurant to help fill the orders of the seemingly endless stream of customers.

Proceeds from the day all go to the Sunshine Foundation of Canada. The money allows the foundation to take dozens of Okanagan children with life-threatening illnesses or severe physical disabilities to Disneyland. The trip provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the children to forget about their medical conditions for a day and just enjoy being a kid.

The Dreamlifts create lasting memories for some very special kids, and the overwhelming support shown for the cause by the South Okanagan is also something that is hard to forget.

Last year’s Wendy’s Dreamlift Day collected $114,276, bringing the total to more than $1 million raised for the Sunshine Foundation since its inception in 1995.

With such a deserving cause, it’s not hard to understand why Wendy’s Dreamlift Day holds such a special place for South Okanagan residents.

“People are lined up outside during the event and most of them don’t care,” said Steve Tuck, past-president of the Sunshine Foundation’s Interior chapter.

Sometimes dreams can come true. And residents from throughout the South Okanagan play a big role in making it happen. If you don’t believe it, just head down to Wendy’s and find out for yourself.

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